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Simply put, SAP Sales OnDemand looks sharp

If looks could kill, Sales OnDemand may be a killer product in a good way.

That was my parting impression yesterday evening as I left SAP’s booth in the exhibit hall of the combined CRM2011, Logistics and Supply Chain Management 2011, Manufacturing 2011, Procurement 2011, and PLM2011 conferences.

Visitors to the SAP space can view a demo of Sales OnDemand, which will be released in April. The design of the module is clean and reminiscent of a tablet. The various functions (e.g., Contacts, Leads, Competitors) are clearly labeled along the top of the screen without clutter. An intriguing aspect is the Feed feature, which resembles a private Twitter account where various team members communicate with each other in near-instant time.

To me, the overall SAP exhibit felt new and modern, a stance that software doesn’t always embrace. With that in mind, it didn’t surprise me to see a cool, reality show-esque feature at the SAP exhibit space: a one-person testimonial booth, in which attendees can sit in front of a camera and answer questions about why SAP helped them or what their business does better. Think of the confession booth in MTV’s Real World without all of the crying. The testimonials will appear on a screen in the SAP space on Wednesday, and may also end up on the company’s YouTube channel.

Like all exhibit spaces (including the one hosted by Insider Learning Network’s publisher, WIS Pubs), SAP’s goal is to generate interest from potential buyers. The critical test comes when ground-level customers use a product. But it’s likely that SAP’s new look will attract folks to at least investigate its offerings.